Material feeding unit



Jan. 2, 1951 L. H. BANNING MATERIAL FEEDING UNIT Filed March 24, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flgi. m Q :76

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ATTORNEY JanQZ, 1951 L. H. BANNING 2,535,021

MATERIAL FEEDING UNIT FiledMar ch 24, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR L LOYD f7. BHIV/V/NG;

ATTOR NEY Patented Jau. 2, 1 951 UNITED sTArs MATERIAL FEEDING UNIT Lloyd H. Banning, Albany, Qregz, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Interior Application March 24, 1949, Serial No. 83,280

1 Claim.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April. 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (ch. 460, 45 Stat. 467).

This invention relates to a feeding unit adapted to transfer fluent materials from a supply source to a point of use. The invention is disclosed herein as utilized for feeding molten metal inmeasured amounts, it being contemplated that the metal is transferred from a holding furnace to a continuous distilling furnace. It will be clear, however, that the invention would be useful in any operation involving the transfer of fluent material in measured amounts and at regular intervals.

In addition to the principal objects already mentioned, the invention provides for such apparatus so designed that no mechanical working parts, except the dipper itself, come into contact with the material operated uponwhether this be molten metal, corrosive acid, or other material.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the kind described in which both the units of material, as well as the intervals of their delivery, may be selectively modified.

Another object is the provision of means of the kind described which are of simple construction and operation.

These other objects are obtained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the invention with the dipper in lowered position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the dipper in tilted or dispensing position.

Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus of the invention.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on line A-A of Figure 3.

Previously, the feeding of material, such as molten metal, has been carried out by the use of a molten metal pump which of necessity delivers a continuous and considerable quantity of the metal, but which might, as a typical instance, be limited to a maximum operating temperature of the metal approximating 1000 F. In some fields of manufacture, construction, or experiment, it is desirable to have only a small amount, such as a 'I-pound unit, of molten metal delivered at regular intervals such as 1-minute intervals. Moreover, it might be desirable to deliver the molten metal at a temperature in excess of that which a pump is intended to cope with. In instances of this kind, the present invention overcomes the difficulties mentioned by providing for the delivery of small quantities, for example 7 pounds, of molten metal at unvarying intervals of a minute. The foregoing represents some typical advantages involved in the use of this invention.

In greater detail and with reference to the drawings, the device comprises a supporting frame 5 of table-like construction and providing the legs 6 and top I. The upper transverse supporting elements 36 and lower supporting elements 35 are secured to the legs for a purpose to be described. Positioned on the top I is a motor 8 connected by suitable drive means 9 with a gear reduction unit [0. The unit lfll comprises a shaft II on one end of which a crank 13 is secured.

Aligned between two legs 6, a vertical guideway [4 extends between upper and lower support elements 36 and 35, respectively. Block I5 is reciprooable in guideway M. A connecting rod 16 is attached at one end, as at IT, to the block 15 and at the other end is threadedly received in a bearing l8 carried by a shaft l9 which is secured to the outer end of the crank 13. When the motor is operated, the block 15 is vertically reoiprocated in the guideway l4 through the medium of the gear unit 10, the crank l3, and the connecting rod IS.

The block 15 has a shaft 20 extending transversely thereof and rotatable therein. Suitable bearings 2| and 22 maintain the shaft in operative position. The outer end of shaft 20 has secured thereto a supporting arm 23 which comprises a stem section 24 and an outwardly projectingsection 25. The latter rigidly supports the downwardly extending arm 26 to the lower end of Which a dipper 21 is immovably secured by means of the bail members 28.

Adjacent this same end of the shaft 20 a lever 32 is fastened. A chain 33 is secured to the outer end of this lever and has its opposite end fastened to the support element 35. The securing means may comprise a threaded bolt 34 held by a pair of opposing nuts 31.

At the opposite end of the shaft 20, suitable counter-balancing means are provided for the dipper and its supporting parts. As illustrated, these counter-ba ancing means may consist of a weight 29 adjustable longitudinally of a rod 30 fastened to the end of the; shaft 20, as at 3|.

In use, the feeding unit above described is positioned adjacent a source of supply of the material to be fed, such supply being disposed at a lower level than the feeding unit and below the dipper 27. When the motor 8 is actuated, the dipper is lowered into the material, such as molten metal, as contemplated herein. This operationis illustrated in Figure 1. The crank [3 then raises the block l and the dipper mechanism attached thereto to the position seen in Figure 2. This view also illustrates the function of chain 33. The latter is of such length as to become taut before the crank l3 reaches its upper limit of movement. Thereafter, continued upward movement results in the pivotal action of the dipper assembly seen in Fig. 2, by virtue of lever 32 to which chain 33 is attached. The dipper 27 is thus tipped or tilted for delivering the contents to the distilling furnace or other point of delivery. The cycle of operation is repeated continuously as long as the motor is operated.

.If it is desired to vary the volume of delivery per stroke, this may be accomplished either by shortening the chain 33 or, for finer adjustments, by advancement or retraction of the threaded bolt 34 to which the lower end of the chain 33 is attached. The degree of tilt of the dipper 21 and the amount of its contents delivered are thusmodified. It will be noted that the weight 29 is so fixed to the shaft 20 as to return the dipper supporting arm and the dipper itself to upright position, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3, after tilting of the dipper.

The speed of crank [3, which controls the frequency of delivery of the dipper contents, is dependent upon the speed of the motor. This may be modified as desired. Obviously, the volume of delivery per unit of time is likewise thus modified.

The operation is smooth, continuous, and without variation. It is apparent that adjustment, maintenance, and replacement are matters of no difiiculty due to the fewness of parts and simplicity of construction.

Modifications will sugest themselves upon consideration of the means herein disclosed, but these are believed to be comprised within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A feeding unit comprising a frame, a vertical guideway on the frame, a block reciprocable in the guideway, a motor and gear unit operated thereby positioned at the to of the frame. a rod connecting the block and gear unit for effecting regular reciprocation of the block, a shaft rotatably mounted transversely of the block, an arm secured at one end of the shaft, a dipper secured rigidly to the arm, means operative on the shaft for rotating the same to tip the dipper in its raised position and restore it upright in the lowered position, and means for limiting movement of the block for effecting tipping of the dipper at selected intervals.

LLOYD H. BANNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

